Safety-clamp for starting-boxes.



B. B. HENRY.

SAFETY CLAMP FOR STARTING BOXES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.28.1916.

1. 1 fi ffifi Patented; June 20, 1916.

am uemboz I?) [5- HEN RY Wm 5am allow/m1 BEN B. HENRY, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

SAFETY-CLAMP FOR STARTING-BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 1916.

Application filed February 28, 1916. Serial No. 80,974.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, BEN 13.,IIENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing "at El Iaso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Satety-Clamps for Starting-Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to means for preventing the actuation of the handle of the starting box or rheostat for electrical machinery, and particularly to a detachable clamp for this purpose.

The general object of my invention is the provision of a detachable clamp which when placed upon the handle of the starting box will prevent the actuation of the handle and thus prevent the starting of the machinery. This is particularly desirable where repairs are being made or it for any reason certain electrical machinery is not desired to be used, as by placing the clamp upon the handle it is impossible to start the particular machinery and thus many accidents will be avoided.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a device of this character. particularly adapted to that type of starting boxes where the handle is hollow longitudinally' slotted and has a depressible locking actuating button in its upper end, and in this connection to provide a very simple, cheap and easily applied device of this char- .acter having a tongue or lug which is insertible into the slot of the handle to a position immediately beneath the button to prevent its depression and having opposed jaws adapted to embrace the handle and be locked thereon.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the starting box with the handle and arm thereon in section and showing my handle locking means applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the locking device detached from the handle.

Referring to these figures, it will be seen that I have shown my invention as applied to an ordinary starting box 4 having the usual arm 5 with the hollow handle 6. This handle is longitudinally slotted as at 3.

Disposed in the lower end of the handle is a latch 7 adapted to engage with notches S of a sector J. In the upper end of the handle (5 is a push lug 10, projecting slightly into the hollow interior of the handle and which is connected by means of a rod 11 to the latch 7, this latch being normally thrown into engagement with the notches of the sector by means of a spring 12. All of these parts are old and well known and form no part of my invention.

My improved clamp for preventing the operation of this handle comprises the hinged clamping members 13 and 11. These are formed with heads at their inner ends which are hingedly engaged with each other by means of a pintle 15. It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the plates 13 and 14 have each at its middle an outwardly bowed portion 16, these bowed portions confronting each other and the bowed portions being tapering toward one end so as to provide a tapering socket forthe handle 6. The inner or hinged ends of the clamping members 13 and 14 are spaced from each other, and attached to one of the clamping plates, as the plate 13 for instance, is a lug 17 that projects out into the socket formed by the outwardly bowed portions 16. Also attached to one of the clamping members, as for instance the clamping member 13, is a hasp 18 which is adapted to pass through a slot 19 formed in the plate 14: and receive a padlock or other suitable locking device 20.

In the application of my invention, whenever it is desired to prevent the operation of the handle of the starting box, the clamp is placed upon the handle with the lug projecting through the slot 3 and the padlock or other locking device is put through the beep. Inasmuch as the lug 17 is disposed in the slot 3, a depression of the member 10 is positively prevented and thus any unlatching of the arm is prevented. By means of my device the handle may be locked with the current cut off from the machinery so that the machinery may be repaired or otherwise operated on and no one can come along and start the machinery Without opening the clamp by means of a key. This prevents many accidents which occur from the starting up of electrical machinery while it is being repaired, and it is obvious that it will prevent the operation of a starting box handle under any circumstances where it is de sired to prevent said operation. This device is'peculiarly adapted to starting box handles having depressible unlatching means, and it is obvious that it may be modified to suit handles of different forms.

Having described my invention, what I claim'is:

1. A clamp for locking the handles of starting boxes comprising oppositely disposed plates hinged to each other at one end and adapted to be turned either into a confronting relation or an angular relation, each of said platesbeing flat at its ends and intermediate its ends being outwardly bowed to provide a socket for the reception of the handle, and a locking lug carried by one of said plates, extending parallel thereto and projecting partly across the out\\-'ardly bowed portion of said plate, and means for locking the plates in confronting relation.

A locking clamp for the handles of starting boxes comprising oppositely disposed plates hinged to each other at one end. each of said plates intermediate its ends being outwardly bowed to form a socket tapering toward one end, one of said plates being slot-ted and the other provided with a hasp adapted to extend through the slot and receive a padlock, one of said plates having formed thereon a lug disposed in parallel relation to the plate and extending partly across the outwardly bowed portion of the face and adapted to engage in a slot in a starting box handle.

3. The combination with a starting box arm having a longitudinally slotted hollow handle and a locking device comprising a latch, a depressible latch lifting member and a rod connecting the latch lifting member disposed within the upper end of the handle and projecting slightly into the hollow interior thereof with the latch, of a locking clamp comprising oppositely disposed plates hinged to each other at one end, each of said plates lllttlllltdliltt' its ends being outwardly bowed to form a socket to engage the handle, means for locking the plates in clamping position upon the handle, one of said plates having formed on its inner face a .lug adapted to engage in the slot in the starting box handle beneath the latch lifting member to prevent the depression of the latch actuating member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BEN B. HEXRY. lVitnesses LAURENCE E. STEVENS, C. O. RUCKER. 

